Website Privacy Policy

ABRSM is fully committed to respecting your privacy and to protecting any personal information you provide to us. We make every effort to ensure that all information that you provide to us is protected.

This privacy statement is designed to explain how we collect information from you when you visit our website and how this information is then used.

Please read this statement carefully and revisit it from time to time to review any changes that may have been made.

Personal information

In general you can visit ABRSM's website without disclosing any personal information about yourself. There are times, however, when we may request information from you. We collect information from our users at several different points on our website.

Mailing list opt-in

Users of www.abrsm.org have the option of joining the ABRSM mailing list. In order to join our mailing list, we require the following information from our users:

Personal profile (i.e. student, teacher, parent or member of the press/media)

Full name

Postal address

Country

Email address

It is optional for our users to provide us with their postcode and information on their instrument(s) of specific interest, but encouraged so that we can provide you with information of direct relevance to your country, area and personal music interests.

We use this information to send you a tri-annual copy of Libretto (the ABRSM magazine); copies of new syllabuses; syllabus updates upon publication; and other information on specific instruments and events that you have informed us would be relevant to your interests.

Opting to join this list and the submission of personally identifiable information is voluntary and not required to use the remainder of the website.

Online entry

Applicants from the UK, Singapore and Malaysia have the option of entering exam candidates online. In order to use this service, applicants must first register by providing us with the following personally identifiable information:

Country

Applicant Number

Full name

Details of any music degrees or diplomas held by the applicant

Postal address including postcode

Contact telephone number

Email address

We also request financial information from online applicants (such as credit card number and expiry date). This information is used to process payments for examination entries. The online entry form is held on a secure HTTPS site (demonstrated by the padlock logo visible)

Payment via the online form for UK applicants is processed via the Logic Groups’s SolveSE program and paid to ABRSM via Barclays Merchant Services. In accordance with the Payment Card Industries Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), truncated card details (first & last four digits) are temporarily stored on the The Logic Group’s server but no card details are stored on the ABRSM server.

Payment via the online form for Malaysia applicants is processed via the HSBC/GlobalPay payment gateway and paid to our local representative Lembaga Peperiksaan. No card details are stored on either the ABRSM or the HSBC/GlobalPay server. Our systems and procedures are fully compliant with the new Payment Card Industries Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).

Payment via the online form for Singapore applicants is processed via the HSBC/GlobalPay payment gateway and paid to our local representative Singapore Symphonia Company Limited via DBS Bank Limited. No card details are stored on the ABRSM or HSBC/GlobalPay servers.

All exam entries are stored on the ABRSM secure web server and transferred daily onto our AS400 system and then held in the same way as postal entries. All online information is held purely for the purpose of exam entries, and is retained on this secure server so that applicants can view their past entries.

We use the contact information supplied by applicants to ensure that examination schedules, results and certificates are forwarded to the correct address. In the event of any problems or complications with exam entries, this information is also used to contact the applicant. Finally this information is used to keep accurate records of applicant and candidate exam history, which allows us to provide a quicker and more effective service to our applicants.

Information regarding exam entries and candidates is strictly confidential and is not disclosed to external organisations.

Job applications

You may opt to provide us with information about yourself, such as a resume or curriculum vitae, in connection with a job application or enquiry, whether advertised on ABRSM's website or otherwise. We may use this information throughout ABRSM for the purposes of employment consideration or to process your enquiry. We will not store this information for any purpose other than that relating to your application or keep it longer than necessary without your written permission.

Making an enquiry/contacting us

You may choose to contact ABRSM in order to make a general enquiry by using the email form facility or other contact details provided on our website. In such instances your personal information will be used for the purposes of responding to your enquiry. If we wish to use your information for other purposes, for example, in instances when you are responding to a particular promotion or marketing campaign, we will tell you so and obtain your consent where appropriate.

ABRSM discussion forums

If you choose to participate in an ABRSM discussion forum, you should be aware that the information you provide there may be made broadly available to others, both inside and outside ABRSM, who also have access to that discussion forum unless you specify otherwise. Each participant’s opinion on a discussion forum is his or her own and should not be considered as reflecting the opinion of ABRSM.

Aggregate information is collected from users using our own web tracker. This information includes users (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time of visit, number of clicks, error pages and number of unique visits. This information is collected to allow us to analyze visitor trends and use of our website, administer the website and to gather broad demographic information of our website users. This information is not linked to personal profiles or to personally identifiable information provided by users.

Profile

We store information that we collect through cookies and log files. A profile is stored information that we keep on individual users that details their viewing preferences. This profile is used to tailor a user’s visit to our website, to make navigation easier and to direct the user to information that best corresponds to their interests. Your profile if shared, will be provided in aggregate form only.

Cookies

A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. Usage of a cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information while on our site. We use both session ID cookies and persistent cookies. For the session ID cookie, once users close the browser, the cookie simply terminates. A persistent cookie is a small text file stored on the user’s hard drive for an extended period of time. Persistent cookies can be removed by following Internet browser help file directions.

Cookies are used to display exam dates, fees and contact details of ABRSM representatives for that country. Our aim is to make the site more easily navigable and applicable to users from different countries. Persistent cookies enable us to track and target the interests of our users, to enhance their experience and to ensure that they do not have to reset their country preferences each time they visit our website.

If you are concerned about cookies, you can disable them in your browser. If you do this however, please note that you will have to manually reset your country preferences on each return visit to our website. (See "Profile" above).

Online applicants

We send all new online applicants a welcome email confirming their username and password, which is required in order to use our online examination application service.

Online applicants who request to change or retrieve their registered password will receive confirmation of their chosen password via email.

Finally, upon submitting an examination entry via our online application form, confirmation of receipt will be sent to the applicant via email.

Generally, users of the online application service may not opt out of receiving these communications, although they can deactivate their account. These communications are not promotional in nature and are produced in the interests of providing the best possible service to online applicants.

Customer service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regards to issues relating to their account we reply via email, post, fax or phone, in accordance with the users wishes.

Sharing

We currently DO NOT disclose any of the personally identifiable information that you give to us beyond ABRSM. We do not sell or supply any of the information that you provide through our website to third parties.

All users are given the opportunity to opt out of having their information used for purposes not directly related to our website at the point where we ask for that information.

Please refer to the choice/opt-out section for further details.

Information regarding exam entries and candidates is strictly confidential and is never passed on to third parties.

Legal disclaimer

Though we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information when required by law wherein we have a good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process served on our website.

Aggregate information (non-personally identifiable)

We occasionally share aggregated demographic information with organisations who are interested in either linking to or placing a link on our website and members of the press. This aggregated information will consist of user numbers, date and times of visits, user’s movement through the website in the aggregate and broad demographic information. This information will be provided purely to allow organisations to assess the suitability of our website for their own web audience when considering reciprocal links. This aggregate information is not linked to any personally identifiable information.

Third party intermediaries

We use a credit card processing company to process online exam entry fees. This company does not retain, share, store or use personally identifiable information for any secondary purposes.

Choice/opt-out

Our users are given the opportunity to ‘opt-out’ of having their information used for purposes not directly related to our site at the point where we ask for that information.

Our mailing list registration form has an opt-out mechanism for users who do not wish their details to be passed on to third parties in future.

Similarly, our UK online application form allows applicants to opt out of receiving copies of Libretto and other ABRSM publications, information on seminars and workshops and information on new syllabus developments.

Links

This website contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we, ABRSM, are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this website.

Security

The ABRSM website takes every precaution to protect our users’ information. When users submit sensitive information via the website, their information is protected both online and off-line.

When our online examination entry form asks users to enter sensitive information (such as credit card number and expiry date), that information is encrypted and is protected with industry-standard Secure Socket Layer software. While on a secure page, such as our online entry form, the lock icon on the bottom of Web browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer becomes locked, as opposed to un-locked, or open, when users are just ‘surfing’.

While we use SSL encryption to protect sensitive information online, we also do everything in our power to protect user-information off-line. Personal information given by users beyond their name and address is restricted in our offices and made available only to the appropriate departments. All employees are provided with a unique username and password in order to gain access to this information. Finally, the servers that store personally identifiable information are password protected and held in a secure environment, in a locked facility. Regular back ups are made of this data, and these are stored off site.

If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes to this privacy statement, the homepage, and other places we deem appropriate so our users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. We will use information in accordance with the privacy policy under which the information was collected.

If, however, we are going to use users’ personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection we will notify users where possible via email. Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner. However, if users have opted out of all communication with the site, or deleted/deactivated their account, then they will not be contacted, nor will their personal information be used in this new manner.

ABRSM respects the right of individuals to access and check the accuracy of any personal data that is being kept by them, either on computer or in a relevant filing system, as defined in the Data Protection Act 1988. Under the act, individuals have the right to know what information is held about them. This is known as a subject access request.

Subject Access requests should be addressed to the Personal Assistant to the Executive Director: Finance and Administration. ABRSM will respond within 40 days.

INFORMATION ON HOW WE USE YOUR DATA

Becauseofmusic.net is powered by ABRSM. When you use our website we may sometimes ask for your contact details (Name, email address and role). If you opt in to receive regular communications from us we will email you from time to time with all the latest news from becauseofmusic campaign. Your details will saved in our secure email system.

If you submit an enquiry and don’t choose to be contacted by us in the future, then we will only use your details to respond to your specific query. We don’t and never will sell or pass on any of your details to another organisation for them to use for their own purposes.

We may, however, use outsourced service providers to help deliver services on our behalf, for example distributing our email newsletters.

PRIVACY STATEMENT

If you register to become a becauseofmusic.net supporter we will ask for your contact details. We will use this information to provide you with access to the downloadable resources and, occasionally, to send updates about the new resources available to you. We will only send you campaign updates via email if you agree to receive this information from us.

We will not sell or pass on any of your personal information to another organisation for them to use for their own purposes without your explicit consent. If you have given your explicit consent, we will also send you updates related to ABRSM (www.abrsm.org). This will allow us to share details with you about how you can progress with music.

We may use outsources service providers to help deliver services on our behalf, for example to distribute email newsletters. At all times we will ensure that we look after your details and we will make sure that any organisations acting on our behalf do the same.

COOKIE POLICY

To ensure you get the best possible experience when browsing the #BECAUSEOFMUSIC website, all analytic cookies have been allowed by default. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to this — however, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Read more about updating your cookie setting here.

USER GENERATED CONTENT

Becauseofmusic.net is powered by ABRSM and we would like permission to use your content (whether it is in the form of photos, videos, the written word or other material, or a combination of all, and which we refer to in these terms and conditions collectively as ‘Content’) in connection with becauseofmusic.net promotion or other ABRSM activities, including use across our websites, blogs, and social channels.

We need to make sure that we have the appropriate rights to use your Content, and that you have made sure that it is ok for us to use it. By submitting your Content directly to us via our website, by responding to our request to use your Content and including the hashtag #BECAUSEOFMUSIC, or by using the hashtag #BECAUSEOFMUSIC on any online posts, you confirm that:

You grant ABRSM via becauseofmusic.net a non-exclusive, royalty free licence to copy, edit, publish, sub-licence and otherwise exploit the Content in any media throughout the world in connection with any promotional or other activities that they undertake, including but not limited to use on their websites, blogs and social channels.

You understand there is no obligation for ABRSM via becauseofmusic.net to utilise or distribute the submitted Content.

You agree not to take any legal action against, and release and discharge ABRSM, and its directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates, or any other person or entity acting on its behalf, from all claims in connection with the use of the submitted Content.

You confirm that you took the photo/video or wrote the content which you are submitting and that you have the right to grant us a licence to use it.

You warrant that the submitted Content does not contain any third party trademark or copyrighted material, or material that is subject to other third party proprietary rights and that the appropriate licences have been obtained before posting.

You confirm that in the case of a photo/video all the people who are personally identifiable have provided their consent for ABRSM to use the photo/video for the purposes set out above on becauseofmusic.net.

If you do not agree to the above terms, please do not submit your Content to us and do not use the hashtag #BECAUSEOFMUSIC when posting your content or responding to our request to use your Content.

By using the #BECAUSEOFMUSIC hashtag on any social posts, your content may be reposted on ABRSM’s social media channels and be featured on the Get inspired section of becauseofmusic.net.

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Supporting the teaching and learning of music in partnership with the Royal Schools of Music:Royal Academy of Music | Royal College of Music | Royal Northern College of Music | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland